Something Changed
by Bat Roan
Summary: Takao has never been a spiritual person. Zodiac signs, constellations, and fate have no effect in our lives. At least, that's what he thought until his relationship with Midorima made him start questioning his beliefs and that maybe the universe does have the power to bring people together. MidoTaka. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_When we woke up that morning we had no way of knowing_  
 _That in a matter of hours we'd change the way we were going_  
 _Where would I be now, where would I be now if we'd never met?_  
 _Would I be singing this song to someone else instead?_

 _(Something Changed by Pulp)_

I was not in love with Midorima. I knew it because my heart didn't race at all the moment I saw him approaching my shop wearing that well-known frown. A light cold breeze sneaked in when he opened the door. It was a cloudy Sunday afternoon and the first raindrops were falling on the sidewalks. Inside the coffee shop, the lights were on and the windows mirrored the interior. There were a few solitary customers at the bar and some college students who distractedly sipped their hot beverages as they went over their notes.

'You're making that face again, Shin-chan,' I said as I began preparing a cup of coffee.

'There's no helping it. They just won't understand,' Midorima sighed as he took a seat at the bar. 'It's starting to get out of control. We were just about to argue right in front of the costumers. I need to get out of there as soon as I can!'

'Don't you think maybe you're being too hard on your parents?'

'Me?! You clearly have no idea what is like to work with them! They won't give me a break! They don't even care about what I want.'

Midorima was the eldest son of the owners of a famous French restaurant in the district. He worked there almost every day after school. His parents had invested all their hopes and money in it, and they expected their son to run the business when they retired. Unfortunately, their heir had other things in mind and wasn't interested in being in charge of it. Of course, this didn't suit his parents very well, and they would often try to make him reconsider, which led to heated arguments, which led to him sulking at my coffee shop.

'So what do you want then?'

Midorima opened his mouth as if he had been waiting to answer that question, but closed it almost immediately.

I snorted.

'Oh my god! Are you serious?!'

'S-shut up!, 'he exclaimed as he adverted his gaze to the window. 'I'm doing all I can just as I always do, so I'll definitely figure it out.'

'But Cancer hasn't got any high ranks these days, has it?'

'As I told you, I'm doing all I can and as long as I have my lucky item, nothing can go wrong.'

I'd always thought Midorima was the weirdest man in the world. He was always carrying random objects to school. He called them his 'lucky items'. He also had his fingers taped, and carried out his routine with an almost religious diligence. Other people thought he was weird too, but for me he was an interesting kind of weird. The kind that piqued my curiosity and made me ask him what was that all about. I lost it at the answer. Oha Asa was the last thing I expected to hear. A serious and earnest young man, who firmly believed in the power of hard work and discipline, attributed his luck to the constellations? It was a laughing matter indeed, but I was fascinated.

'Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Shin-chan. Here. Your favorite, isn't it?'

I placed a steaming cup of caffé latte in front of him along with a strawberry shortcake. Midorima's eyes couldn't help but gleam at such delicious sight. He grabbed the fork next to him, cut a little piece, and took it to his mouth making sure to chew it slowly to allow the flavor to impregnate his tongue. He smiled, pleased that it tasted just as it looked like. I smiled, too, relieved that his bad mood was finally gone.

Just like his parents, mine ran a similar business, but instead of a restaurant they owned a small coffee shop. It was not as famous as Midorima's restaurant, but it was quite well-known among the locals. Not like I want to show off but it wasn't just the coffee and desserts that made it so appealing but our top quality service. So much so that many of our costumers had become good friends throughout the years, and would often recommend us to their acquaintances. For me, there was no better criticism than that.

But, unlike Midorima, I was eager to succeed my parents as the owner. I had been working at the shop since I was able to pour a cup of coffee, so I had embraced my future a long time ago. If that made me a conformist, I didn't know and I didn't care. I had never looked for other options and never needed to. I could picture myself living like that for the rest of my life and I was happy about it.

Maybe for that reason I wasn't completely able to fathom Midorima's frustration, despite our similar backgrounds. But I knew that the reason he found himself so miserable was because, deep inside, he repudiated a part of his luck. A kind of luck he couldn't change no matter how many lucky items he collected nor how high the ranking of his horoscope was. Because the ones currently ruling his fate weren't the stars but his own family.

'Shin-chan? Is something wrong?'

I noticed that he had suddenly got quiet and his green eyes were fixed vacantly on his cup.

'You know…', he answered in a low voice. 'All this time, you've always been the one comforting me, like treating me to coffee and shortcake, but I just realized that I've never done anything for you.'

'Oh, man, what are you saying? It's not like I do it because I expect something in return. It's just part of my job.'

'So you're saying you wouldn't do this if it weren't your job?', he said in a bitter tone.

'Wha- No! That's not what I meant!'

'What did you mean then?'

I mulled my answer over for a bit.

'Well…' I began. 'My parents always told me how important it is to get to know your customers because, that way, I'd know how to treat them and what to offer them according to their mood. You can't imagine how many customers have entered the shop bearing dull gloomy expressions and then leave with bright smiles on their faces. It amazes me how extraordinary it is to make someone's day by doing such a simple thing as to lend a good ear and offer them their favorite beverage. For me, there's nothing better than that, and it's the same with you, Shin-chan. The difference is that you're not a customer, you're my friend. So I'd still do it even if it weren't my job.'

Midorima looked at me with eyes wide open and I scratched my head with a bit of embarrassment. I had never thought about it before but, now that the question had arisen, the idea of me having a crush on him began to swell in my head. Honestly speaking, I didn't feel any of those things people in love always brag about. My heart didn't skip whenever I saw him walking through the door nor did I feel any tingling when our bodies were touching during our one-on-one matches. And I didn't daydream with the idea of us being together. However, there was definitely something about him, a kind of force that drew me to him as gravity drew objects to the ground.

'Well, if that's the case, then as your friend I want to do the same for you.'

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that his words caught me off guard for a moment.

'Oh really? Are you gonna treat me to dinner at your fancy restaurant?'

'Even better. I'll cook for you in the privacy of my apartment.'

I let out an exaggerated gasp. 'Wait. Are you saying that Midorima Shintarou, the celebrated sous chef and owner-to-be of a top class restaurant, is going to cook only for me, the mortal coffee shop clerk?!'

'On second thought, forget about it.'

'Haha, easy, Shin-chan... Tell me, what's on the menu for the occasion?'

'That's up to you. What do you want me to cook?'

'So I get to choose, huh? Can it be whatever I want?'

'Yes.'

'Anything?'

'I'll make it possible.'

'Then, how about Tarte Tatin?'

Midorima looked at me puzzled as if my request had made no sense at all.

'Are you sure?'

'What? You can't make it?'

He buffed in annoyance.

'Of course I can. I just didn't expect you to go for a dessert, that's all. Even less one you can prepare way better than me', he said shotting me an accusing glance.

'I know,' I grinned, 'but as you said, I'm always the one treating you, so now I want you to do the same.'

'So should I take this as a challenge?'

'If you want. I'm really looking forward to it now, so you'd better surprise me, okay?'

'Cheeky bastard.'

* * *

That day was the first time I visited Midorima's place. He lived in an apartment in an old building located near the campus. Apparently, the building belonged to a relative of his and, because of that, the rent was cheap. What surprised me the most though was its deplorable state: paint peeling off the walls, mold growing in the ceilings, and broken windows giving way to the cold wind. I knew better than checking out the elevator and took the stairs instead.

'I'd swear there are hobos living in this place!', was the first thing that came out of my mouth when Midorima opened the door. 'I can't believe you actually live in this dump!'

'The apartment's big and I can afford rent so it's not like I can really complain. Also, it's better than living with my parents.'

He was right. Even though the door was narrow, the apartment was pretty vast. The living room could easily accommodate ten people and there'd still be some space left. It had high ceilings and the bedrooms were spacious as well. As opposed to the building's aspect, the apartment had this nice and cozy atmosphere that made me feel at home right away, which I found kind of strange. But the best part was the kotatsu in the living room.

'I can't believe you have one of these! The last time I had one was in fourth grade.'

'We can eat here if you want.'

'Yes, please!'

'Now I can't tell whether you're excited about my Tarte or the kotatsu.'

'Mmm… what tarte?'

Midorima rolled his eyes and went into the kitchen.

'So how's the Tarte going?' I asked as I followed him in.

'I was just about to cook the caramel. I was wondering whether to use brandy or orange juice in it. What do you think?'

'Don't ask me, Shin-chan. I told you to surprise me, remember?'

He smirked. 'I knew you would say that.'

He kept on making the tarte while I only stood there watching him. I had never seen him cook before, so this was another first for me and, believe me, I was beyond excited.

I had always teased Midorima about his taped fingers. I thought it was silly, pretentious even. But then, as I observed him move in the kitchen, I realized how precious those hands really were. Their movements were fast but graceful, with a flawless rhythm. There was no hesitation or clumsiness, as if his fingers were just moving on their own. Suddenly, I found myself thinking how great it would feel getting touched by those hands. I shook off the thought immediately.

By the time the tarte was in the oven, the sky had darkened and the temperature had dropped. I offered to make some coffee to which Midorima refused profusely, claiming that it was his treat and I was not supposed to help at all. After insisting for a bit, he finally gave in and let me prepare 'only black coffee, ok?'

When everything was ready, we went to the living room and got inside the kotatsu.

'This is incredibly delicious, Shin-chan!' I exclaimed after the first mouthful, and then added in a playful tone: 'And it seems you went for the brandy. Are you scheming something, perhaps?'

'Don't be stupid. As if you could get drunk with just that.'

'Who knows? Maybe my body can't handle alcohol well and you might end up carrying me home.'

'Takao...' His green eyes stared at me with an unamused expression. 'There's less than a quarter of a cup in this tarte, you cannot even get tipsy with this.'

'You're too serious, Shin-chan,' I sighed in defeat.

We continued chatting and eating and, as the evening went on, I felt more at home in that place. It was as if I had been there many times before and everything seemed familiar to me. Not exactly like a déjà-vu. This was completely different. It was a weird but comfortable sensation and I didn't want it to end.

'How come you live by yourself when your parents are right next to the coffee shop?' Midorima asked.

'When my mom began renting rooms for students, our house got too crowded and I ended up with no bedroom of my own. There's no problem since I visit my parents often and help them out at the shop.'

'It's remarkable how you're willing to follow their steps and be proud of it.'

'Yeah, but I still try to keep my distance. Privacy is very important for me, you know. I'm afraid if I spend much time with them, I won't have time for myself anymore.'

'I understand. I got tired of all that, too: going out with my parents, helping them at home, helping them at the restaurant... It became overwhelming. I thought I would have to live like that for the rest of my life. That's why I saved a lot of money and moved out as soon as I could.'

'You have a whole life before you, so why don't you expand your possibilities? You can get a new job, save money and travel around the world! You don't have to live like that.'

'You're right. That's actually a good idea,' he smiled. 'Thanks.'

'Don't thank me, just serve me another slice, would you?'

It was almost 11 when I left. The evening had gone just as any other and no romance had been involved during my stay in that apartment, which meant that our thing wasn't destined to go farther than a good friendship. But I couldn't help feel that after that night things between us were going to change.

* * *

Days went by and both of us were as devoted to our jobs as we had always been, especially me. The coffee shop had been pretty hectic recently and sometimes I had to work double shifts. I even began skipping classes to help my parents out. Since school was not my priority, I wasn't really worried about getting behind. In fact, I wouldn't have attended college in the first place if my parents hadn't insisted on me getting a degree. The coffee shop was all I had and all I ever wanted. Although when I thought about this, I couldn't help think about Midorima. After all, it was because I had given in to my parent's pressure that I met him.

We met during our freshman year at college at a sports event. Me and my team were participating in the basketball tournament but we were one member short. And had Midorima not signed up at the last minute, we would have lost by default. I often wondered what my life would be like if Midorima hadn't joined us that day. Would he have shown up at the coffee shop later on? Would our friendship be as deep as it was at that moment? Would we have eaten Tarte Tatin in his apartment? Or would we have gone on with our lives completely unaware of each other's existences? Could it be that there was really something or someone in the universe directing our every move?

Maybe stars do guide our fate, I thought. Maybe I'm in love, after all.

One afternoon, I ran into Midorima on my way home. I'd only seen him a couple of times after the Tarte Tatin event. He greeted me with with a warm smile.

'You seem to be in a good mood, Shin-chan.'

'Of course I am. Cancer has been at the top of the rankings these days, and things are finally working out. I'm glad I followed your advice.'

'What do you mean?'

'Are you free right now? Let's play a one-on-one and I'll tell you.'

'Yeah, sure, but don't you have to work today?'

'I have the day off, but I have to get up early tomorrow.'

We went to a park near Midorima's place. It was late in the afternoon and the air was chilly. The soft orange hue in the sky slowly turned dark blue and was soon decorated by shining stars. We played until we were out of breath and, as usual, Midorima was the winner but not without me putting up a good fight.

'So what do you mean you followed my advice?', I asked as we gathered our stuff.

'About going abroad. I'm going to France. A friend of my father's is the owner of an international restaurant in Paris. I already got in touch with him and he said he'd be glad to have me as his apprentice.'

'Oh, so you're keeping on with the family business after all!'

'I think I can do that while I figure out what I want to do.'

'What about your parents?'

'They're totally against it.'

'What?! So what are you gonna do then?'

'I'm still leaving. I've saved enough money to rent a small room at least. Plus, I'll be working at the restaurant, so there's no problem.'

At that moment reality hit me like a brick and my heart sank like a stone in a river. He's leaving, I thought, he'll start a new life far away from here and he won't come back.

Loneliness crept up my body and the shielding dark blue sky above our heads was replaced by an overwhelming darkness.

'That's great,' was all I could mutter.

'You know, I'm craving for some strawberry shortcake right now.'

'If you come to the coffee shop, I'll prepare it for you.'

'And if we prepare it now? My apartment is nearby and I can buy the ingredients.'

For some reason, I sensed that Midorima wanted to sleep with me. I noticed it in his countenance, in his voice and the way he looked at me.

'You don't mind?'

'Not at all.'

And in the mild sorrow that enveloped us, deep inside of us, we knew what those words had truly meant: 'I want you.' 'Me,too.'

* * *

Thus, for the second time, I found myself inside that old decayed building. I didn't even dare to touch the walls for fear that it might collapse at the smallest movement. But once inside the apartment, the atmosphere changed completely. I was welcomed by that familiar warmth again and instantly felt at home. It was as if that place existed in a different dimension than the rest of the world.

'I don't know how you manage to go to school and work every day. I'd never want to leave!'

'It does have that effect, right? I have the feeling that the people living here before me were a happy couple.'

'Did you meet them?'

'No, the place had been empty for years before I arrived.'

'Then how do you know they were a couple?'

Midorima shrugged. 'I just know.'

'Hold on. You're not trying to tell me there are ghosts in here, are you?'

'Of course not. That's nonsense.'

'Says the guy with the lucky item collection,' I murmured.

We talked about trivial stuff as I prepared the shortcake and Midorima simply observed. For some reason, having those green eyes staring intently at me made me quite nervous as if they were evaluating me. Of course, I had made shortcake hundreds of times before, but this was like the first time I made it in front of my parents. And all that anxiety and nervousness from that time came back to me.

Calm down, Kazunari. You can even make shortcake with your eyes closed. What's so different now?

But everything was different now. This was not the coffee shop but a foreign kitchen. Midorima's kitchen. And this time we were not two friends casually hanging out nor was this any ordinary night. That night everything was going to change.

'Do you always make that face when you cook?', Midorima interrupted my thoughts.

'Huh? What face?'

He placed his index finger between his eyebrows.

'You frown a lot. Like you're totally concentrated.'

I was kind of bewildered by the remark. I'd never wondered about what expressions I made while cooking or making coffee, and probably most people didn't pay attention either. Also, it wasn't that I was concentrating but more that I was trying to distract myself from his scrutinizing gaze

. 'Nah... it's just... this is the first time you see me cook, right?'

'That's right,' he smiled. 'And it's such a delight. I remember I was pretty nervous myself when you first came here and saw me cook. I really wanted to surprise you and I was afraid I might ruin it. I have to admit I was a bit intimidated.'

'Ha, c'mon, I'm no professional. If someone should be intimidated, that's me.'

We began arguing about who the best cook was without getting anywhere. At the end, we just decided to drop it and talk about school and our families. When the shortcake was done, we continued our conversation in the living room. We were so into it that we lost track of time. The feeling we had when we were with each other was that of easiness and peace. We had formed that type of connection in which the moment we were together everything else ceased to exist, so it was quite a downer when our duties brought us back to reality.

'I think it's time for me to go,' I said looking at my watch.

'It's already too late. Why don't you stay over?'

'All right... but tell me something first: what do you mean by staying over?'

Midorima pondered his answer for a moment and replied in a serious tone: 'Did you know that Cancer and Scorpio share the highest compatibility in the horoscope?'

'What?'

I didn't understand what that had to do with anything but being him, I knew it would take him some time to get to the point.

'It's said that both signs share a deep emotional connection and passionate attraction.'

As Midorima continued explaining this, a light blush appeared on his cheeks. And I finally understood .

Oh my God, is he hitting on me?!

I bursted out laughing.

'W-what's so funny?!'

'Oh, Shin-chan', I managed to say as I tried to catch my breath.

'What?!'

'You could've just told me you like me or at least that I'm good looking. You don't need to try so hard.'

Midorima's face turned so red it looked like the strawberries we'd just eaten. My heart couldn't help but melt at such sight. I wiped my tears and slowly approached him. I took his face in my hands, and pecked him on the lips.

'I like you, too, Shin-chan.'

We made love that night.

Just as when he cooked, Midorima's hands moved meticulously all over my body. As if not wanting to miss any little detail on it. He stroked my lips and pressed his nose against mine. He caressed my back up and down while placing soft kisses along my collarbones and neck. I could feel his breath against my skin as he gently wrapped his fingers around my erection. All these sensations turned me on so much I almost came. Midorima took this as an invitation to penetrate me. He got on top of me and carefully introduced one finger after another. He didn't stop until he made sure I was all warm and wet. Then, he put his cock inside and his hips moved back and forth. I could feel myself losing it. The rhythm of his body, the sound of his moans, the touch of his flesh. With my senses at their fullest, any previous sexual encounter became insignificant.

After we finished, we wrapped ourselves in the blankets and cuddled to warm ourselves up.

'The shortcake was delicious but this was much better. And I guess this is what you wanted to do all the time, am I right?' I said in a teasing tone.

'Oh, shut up,' he grunted and took me in his arms again until we fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was almost 7 o'clock and Midorima had already left. There was a note on the night table next to the bed:

Sorry. I had to leave early and I didn't want to wake you up.

There's food in the fridge and the coffee machine is on.

Please, make yourself at home.

P.S. I want to see you again before I leave.

'Make yourself at home, he says... Well, that won't be difficult.'

Since it was still too early for me, I decided to stay in bed a little longer. I covered myself with his white blankets and I found his smell when I put my head on the pillows. All the memories from the previous night came back to me and I couldn't help blush for a moment. I felt like a 13-year old after having talked to his crush for the first time. It made me feel nolgastic. Even though I had dated a lot of people, I could count all my serious relationships with one hand. Call me picky, but it's difficult to find someone who can make me feel complete, someone I could devote to entirely. And falling in love is not that easy. I had always been a flirt, but when you reach a certain age, you get tired of games and start yearning for some stability. But life is cruel and just when I had found that person, life decided to take him away from me.

By the time I finally got out of bed, the apartment was permeated with the smell of fresh coffee. I poured myself a cup first and took a bath afterwards. The bathroom was ridiculously clean, like the ones you see on programs about people who are obsessed with cleaning. I imagined Midorima explaining to the camera crew how he used dental floss to clean the spaces between tiles. I imagined him scrubbing the edges of the bathtub I was using at that moment. I imagined us having sex in that bathtub.

For God's sake, Kazunari! Stop that! The least you need right now is torturing yourself with scenarios of you being together. I didn't want him to go. Not when I had finally come to terms with my feelings. Not when we had just made love. I felt like the worst person in the world. Instead of supporting him and being glad that he had finally found a goal in life, I was mopping like a damn teenager in his bathtub wishing he could stay with me instead.

After that depressing bath, I went to the kitchen. Being a college student living by himself, I was expecting to find an almost empty fridge like mine, but what I found was a fridge well supplied with fresh vegetables, meat, milk and every other food group. As expected from a chef. I made scrambled eggs with ham and some vegetables, and I poured myself another cup of coffee. I had breakfast at the kitchen counter and, as I ate, the coziness of the apartment enveloped me. I can't explain why, but suddenly I got the feeling that I wasn't alone. Not in a creepy way, but more like a comforting presence that made me feel like everything was going to be alright.


	2. Chapter 2

Midorima was as busy as he could be. He was now taking French lessons. If he was good at it or not, I couldn't tell. We would run into each other in the school's hallways (I had come back and was having a hard time catching up), but we barely had time for small talk since we were always running somewhere else. He had actually shown up at the coffee shop once. Unfortunately, the place was crowded that day so we didn't talk much. Also, I was trying to keep my distance. The day of his departure was getting closer and I wanted it to be as painless as possible. Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about that note. _I want to see you again before I leave,_ which obviously meant he wanted to have sex again and, obviously, I wanted to have sex, too. But I couldn't bring myself to call or text him. He probably had a lot on his mind already, and I didn't want to be another burden.

One day, I decided to listen to Oha Asa. I hadn't done it in a long time and I didn't do it because I believed in those things, I did it just to have something to tease Midorima with. But that day I was desperate for a sign.

'And now Scorpio! Your ranking number for today is 7. Not good, but not bad either. You're stuck in an emotional limbo and the future seems uncertain to you. Remember that everything happens for a reason. If something must happen, let it happen. If not, just be patient because fate has something better in store for you. Your lucky item is a map.'

Sometimes the accuracy of her horoscopes was creepy as hell. It was not the sign I was hoping for, but it was better than those false predictions she had made before. Like that time she said I would have an accident so I'd better watch out. Midorima freaked out so much he got me a lucky item and made me carry it around the whole week. At the end, nothing happened. Midorima insisted it was all thanks to it, and I insisted it had all been bullshit. Other times, though, it was as if she knew me personally, and her predictions were so on point I had to hand it to her. And this was one of those times.

 _So I'll have to go with the flow then._ I wasn't happy with that, but I didn't know what to do. Maybe leaving it up to fate would help me take it easy.

And I guess fate was kind of on my side. I ran into Midorima the week before he left. It was a rainy day and everybody was carrying their umbrellas. I was coming out the subway station when someone tapped me on my shoulder. When I met his green eyes, my heart fluttered. _Well, this is new,_ I thought. I was out of words so I only smiled and he smiled back. I had never seen anyone more beautiful.

'I've just finished running some errands,' he said. 'Are you busy?'

I shook my head. 'I'm going home.'

'Do you mind if I walk with you?'

'Not at all.'

He blushed a little.

I blushed a little,too.

 _Geez, are we characters in a teen drama or what?_

The drizzle turned heavier as we walked. I was about to open my umbrella, but Midorima was quicker and shared it with me. He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. 'It'd be bad if you got wet and fell sick', he said.

 _This is so like a teen drama!_

We continued walking like this for a couple of blocks. Being like this with Midorima was really nice. The sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella, people hurrying to take cover in the nearby stores, and the warmth of his body next to me. Everything was fine until he said:

'My uncle told me he'll have the building demolished as soon as I leave.'

I stopped dead in my tracks making Midorima almost trip and getting myself wet.

'What?! Why?!'

Midorima covered us again with the umbrella and gave me a puzzled look.

'Well...some investors got in touch with him and offered him good money for the plot. I think they intend to build a mall or something.'

'But that's not fair! That's our place, they can't destroy it!'

I don't know why I was being so dramatic. I guess Midorima leaving was already painful enough and now the place where we had created such precious memories, shared our intimacy, and enjoyed delicious meals, was going to be torn down and replaced with other people's trivialities. I would have nothing left to remember him.

'I didn't think you would get so upset.' Midorima said looking worried. 'You said it was a dump.'

'The building is a dump! Nothing a good remodelling could fix. The apartment, though, that's a different thing.'

'Why don't you come over then? You know, to say goodbye.'

He smiled, but it was a sad smile. I didn't like seeing him like that. It broke my heart even more. And wasn't I the one who could cheer him up when he was down? Why couldn't I do it now? This was probably the last time I was going to see him and he deserved something better than my bitterness and drama.

Then I got an idea.

'Hey, Shin-chan! Why don't we prepare a special dinner? To give it a proper farewell. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. We can whip up some omurice or curry, and I can make a cake or something! What do you think?'

Midorima was startled at my sudden change of mood, but he agreed and said it was a good idea.

We went to a supermarket near his place to buy any missing ingredients. Anyone who had looked at us -picking out food together, arguing about not letting the other pay, carrying grocery bags- would've thought we were a young couple who had just gotten married. Not to mention that Midorima's loving gaze and my intense blush embellished the romantic scene even more.

We were happy indeed, but sad at the same time as the moment of our departure was drawing near.

Once inside the apartment I noticed the missing furniture -the kotatsu had been replaced by a futon- and the piles of boxes. Sadness tugged at my heart but I supressed it right away. I didn't want my bitter feelings to ruin my last night with Midorima. There was nothing else I wanted more than to see his beautiful hands cooking for me once again, and feel his body on top of mine once again. I was going to enjoy all of those because, for us, there was no tomorrow.

As soon as we left the groceries in the kitchen, we turned off the lights and made love, enveloped in the darkness of his apartment. It had been as good as our first time, and after we finished, we stayed there lying in the dark with our naked bodies intertwined under the cover. He stroked my hair as I told him about school, my job, and anything that had happened during the time I hadn't seen him. He kept looking at me the same way he did at the supermarket. He would barely say anything in response. I wondered if he was even listening to me, but I didn't care. Everything was perfect.

When I was done talking, I urged Midorima to get up. We both got dressed and went to kitchen to prepare our special dinner. He had almost everything packed, but the kitchen remained untouched _. Obviously._ We took out pans and pots from the cupboards and put ourselves to work. I prepared boiled dumplings, and Midorima made Miso Ramen. As for dessert, we went for creme banana brulee. I did my best to prepare a remarkable dinner. It may be weird, but I wanted to show how grateful I was for all those precious moments I got to share with him in that apartment.

After we finished everything on our plates, we made love once again. However, this time there were no cuddles or deep bed talk. We had gone back to reality, where we knew we couldn't pretend, where we knew this happy-couple act had to be over.

'I hate that we have to split up now that everything's so perfect between us', he said. 'I hate myself for not having realized earlier.'

'Same, Shin-chan', I sighed.

I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I knew it would be a bad idea for me to spend the night. The longer I stayed the less I would be able to control myself. If I didn't leave any time soon, I would start crying and begging him not to go, to cancel his flight, to call that guy in France and tell him he was staying after all. He could move in with me. Even though my place was not as lovely as his, we could make it our own. But I couldn't do that to him. I was not that selfish. Instead I told him I had to go because I had to work early the next day, and he offered to walk me to the station.

'There's something I need to tell you,' he said when we arrived there.

He wasn't looking me in the eye and he seemed nervous, so I braced myself in case he dropped another bomb but I totally didn't expect what followed.

'Remember the first time you came to my place and I mentioned a couple that used to live there?'

'Yeah? You said you just knew they lived there.'

'Well... the truth is, I didn't want to tell you back then because I didn't want you to get scared and leave.'

'Shin-chan, you're scaring me now. What are you trying to tell me?'

'Takao, there _are_ ghosts in the apartment.'

I froze.

'This is not the time for jokes, Shin-chan,' I chuckled nervously.

'Takao, I'm serious. Didn't you see or notice anything strange the times you were there?'

'You mean like objects moving by themselves or strange noises?'

'No, I mean... more like a presence, like you're not alone.'

I knew exactly what he was refering to, shivers running down my spine.

'Now that you mention it... There was one time...'

I told Midorima about what had happened that time I was alone in his apartment omitting, of course, the part where I was being a crybaby.

'That's exactly how it feels, ' he said when I finished. 'At first, I thought it was my mind disconnecting from the world because I was really tired or sleepy, but then I saw them.'

'Didn't you get scared?'

He shook his head.

'Somehow, I was glad I wasn't alone. I don't know why, but instead of being afraid, I felt... peaceful. Seeing the old man doing his daily excersise routine and the old lady making tea felt as if they were old relatives of mine. Even though they never noticed my presence, they made me feel less lonely. Ghosts aren't supposed to do that, right?'

'That's definitely the weirdest ghost story I've ever heard.' I laughed.

'I know,' he laughed. And after a short pause he added, 'I'll write to you as soon as I arrive.'

'I'll be waiting'.

We hugged with a smile on our faces. It was a long hug and I basked in his scent for the last time. When we were done, Midorima had tears in his eyes and I realized I was crying, too.

'I'm sure fate will bring us back together.'

And so, we parted ways.

* * *

Midorima sent me an email a week after his departure, telling me all about his new place, new job, and Paris. _There are no ghosts here to appease my solitude_ , he wrote. I bursted into tears when I finished reading it, and I couldn't control myself for a while. I couldn't stop thinking about how happy we would be at that moment if things had been different. I didn't think I would be able to cope with the distance, and I was almost sure that I would never see him again.

We rarely wrote to each other, and he was the one who usually wrote first. We didn't go into much detail about our lives though. We never talked about anything personal, except about our families. I guess because we didn't want to bother the other or, at least in my case, we wanted to spare ourselves the pain. What if Midorima was dating someone else? You know, a tall blonde French guy with hipnotizing blue eyes. I didn't even want to know. It would break me. We stuck to brief and frivolous mails, and that was fine by me. I didn't care about what he did in his spare time and he didn't seem interested in what I did either. The only thing I knew was that he had to work long shifts at the restaurant and that he had recently moved to a guest house.

As for me, I graduated college and I was happy that I could dedicate all my time and effort to the coffee shop without worrying about homework or classes. My diploma became a nice decoration in the living room that my mom could boast about to her friends. Regarding the love department, well, I was finding it hard to move on. I had gone on dates a couple of times, but nothing serious. There were days in which I didn't think about Midorima at all. But then, there was something that reminded me of him and I would spend the rest of the day missing him.

Little did I know it wouldn't be long until I saw him again.

A costumer told me about a contest for baristas in the city and suggested I register. Being a competitive person myself I thought I hsould go for it. Also, it would be a great opportunity to promote my coffee shop and the prize was not bad either: a state-of-the-art coffee machine from the sponsors and a juicy amount of cash. It was a tough competition but I enjoyed myself a lot. I didn't win first place but was a runner up. I got cash anyway, which wasn't as much as the first prize, but it was still a substancial amount, and I got to advertise my coffee shop in an interview for a national newspaper.

My marketing strategy worked well since after that we got more costumers than usual and even some travel and food bloggers showed interest in my business and came to write reviews for their websites (I read all of them, of course). One blogger in particular wrote a very extensive review on my shop. She wrote about everything: the decoration, the ambient, the food, the coffee, even the level of cleanliness. To put it briefly, she LOVED it.

 _If you've ever daydreamed about sitting in a café in Paris while sipping on a cup of coffee with the Eiffel Tower in the background, I assure you this place is the closest experience you can get_ , she wrote. My heart tugged at the mention of that city, but I was so happy about the review that I didn't give it much thought.

Then, just two days after I read that review, a travel brochure appeared in my mailbox. Apart from my weekly coupons, I had not subscribed to another kind of publicity so I thought the mail man had made a mistake. I was about to go to my neighbors' and ask them about it but then I saw the Eiffel Tower on the cover with big bright letters that offered discounts on flights to many cities in Europe. 30% off to Paris if you booked your flight in the next two weeks.

I chuckled, covering my face with my hand. _Are you being serious right now?_ This was funny in a sad way. Was that even possible? I got anxious just by looking at that brochure but I kept it because I was sure it meant something.

So I found myself -once again- listening to Oha Asa to guide me with her wisdom:

'Don't get too comfy in your comfort zone, Scorpio! Something great is waiting for you out there. However, it won't come easily. You've got to shake off the fear and take a deep dive if you really want to get it. And, remember, patience is a virtue. Your lucky item for today is a paper plane.'

And there was my sign. The cosmos had been paving the way for me and now it was my turn to take action. I still kept the money I won at the contest. I hadn't decided what to do with it yet since my daily activities kept me so busy. And it was about time I took a break.

I booked my flight and hotel that same day. My budget was not that large so I could afford to stay a week. Paris was more expensive than I had thought. However, I was so fired up about the whole thing that before I knew it, I had written a frantic mail to Midorima.

 _I'M GOING TO PARIS NEXT WEEK SHIN-CHAN!_

He replied almost immediately and he seemed to be as excited as I was.

 _Really? That's amazing, Takao! When are you coming? And how long will you stay? It'd be great if we could meet and hang out. If you can, let me know and I'll ask permission at work. I'll be more than happy to be your guide._

I gave Midorima the details about my trip and he offered to pick me up at the airport. He also suggested I stay at his place instead. He said that, for a little extra money, the landlady would let visitors in as long as they weren't noisy.

The night before my flight I was having a nervous breakdown. My hands wouldn't stop shaking as I finished packing my stuff, and I couldn't finish my dinner because my stomach was in a knot. I kept checking that my passport and plane ticket were in my bag because the night before I had had an awful dream in which I forgot my ticket at home and they didn't allow me to board the plane, and Midorima was so upset I stood him up that he told me he didn't want to hear from me ever again.

Luckily, everything went smoothly and I had no trouble boarding the plane. However, it wasn't until the plane landed in Paris that the magnitude of what I was doing settled down in my mind. As I was on my seat waiting to get off the plane, all kinds of thoughts came rushing to my mind, and soon I found myself having an existential crisis.

'What if he is dating someone already? Did you even consider that?' 'No way. Then why did he let me stay at his place? You wouldn't let your ex lover stay over with your boyfriend hanging around.' 'Because he's very nice and wants you to spare some money.' 'C'mon, that's not true.' 'But what if he does have a boyfriend but they don't live together yet?' 'What if he brought him along? You know, like for you to meet.' 'God, no!'

Almost everyone had gotten off the plane, but my body refused to move. Part of me wanted to give it up and take the next plane back to Japan, but the other part wanted to sprint to the gate and throw myself into his arms. Though I couldn't do that if his boyfriend was with him. He could get mad and I didn't want to cause any discord between them and... Wait. What the hell was I doing? Worrying about a guy that wasn't even probably real, creating imaginary drama when I hadn't even set foot in this land. Unbelieavable. I pushed those invading thoughts far away to the back of my mind, and left everything else in the hands of fate.

'Whatever happens, will happen.'

There were many people waiting at the gate, but I spotted Midorima immediately. How could I not? He was the tallest of the crowd and that green hair was as vibrant as always. There was no French boyfriend (thank God). He waved when he saw me and a big smile appeared on his face. I didn't melt because it was not physically possible for me to do so, but my legs turned into jelly as I approached him. And just like that time we said goodbye, we fused into an embrace. I almost teared up holding him in my arms, burying my nose in his hair and drawing in that aroma that I loved so much.

'I missed you', he whispered in my neck. His breath sending shivers down my spine.

'I missed you, too,' I replied, holding him tighter.

Once we were in the car, I took a closer look at him. Even though he had been away for a year, the change was evident. His hair was shorter and he wore frameless glasses now. His shoulders were wider, which meant he worked out. And on his face there was the look of determitation and maturity, the look of someone who had to grow up and become independent fast, someone who knows how hard life can be.

That's when I realized how necessary it was for Midorima to leave. Back in Japan, he was restrained. By his parents, school, work, even me. And he needed to be as far as possible from them for him to be free. Had he stayed in Japan, he wouldn't have become the person he wanted to be.

'Look at you, Shin-chan! You're such a grown man now!'

'Same goes for you you, Takao. The business life suits you well.'

The sky was filled with enourmous clouds and the air was cold. It was early in the morning and as we drove through the streets of Paris, people in long coats and scarves paraded to bus stops and subway stations, ready to start the day.


End file.
